Impatiens plant named ‘TiPar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens walleriana  plant named ‘TiPar’, characterized by large purple bi-colored fully double flowers, flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage, good heat tolerance, dark green foliage and mounded, freely branching and dense plant habit.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar botanicallyknown as Impatiens walleriana, and by the cultivar name ‘TiPar’.

The cultivar of the photograph was developed and selected in acontrolled breeding program in a controlled environment in Coquille,Oreg. by the inventors, Harlan Cosner and Sue Cosner, as describedherein.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The closest known cultivar of prior art is named ‘Purple Star’, plantpatent application Ser. No. 09/078,765, which will become abandoned.

COMPARISON

The impatiens plant of the present invention differs from prior plants,namely ‘Purple Star’ in at least the following ways:

1. The plant of the present invention has been shown to have more lightpurple in the flowers in the heat than those of ‘Purple Star’;

2. The plant of the present invention produces more flowers in warmtemperatures than ‘Purple Star’; and

3. The plant of the present invention is more mounded in growth habitthan the plant of ‘Purple Star’.

These and other characteristics will be apparent to persons skilled inthe art.

BACKGROUND—DISCOVERY

The present cultivar was developed by standard cross-polination. Itsseed parent is a semi-double impatiens plant with large purplebi-colored flowers. This plant was designated B-9X-1311 under theinventors' controlled breeding program. The pollen parent is apollen-producing double impatiens plant with purple bi-colored flowers.The plant was designated B-9X-237 under the inventors' controlledbreeding program. The parent plants are not the subject of any grantedpatent or pending application. The cross was made in the inventors'controlled breeding program, and the first asexual reproduction was madeat Coquille, Oreg. Successive asexually reproduced generations haveshown the present invention to be stable. Each asexually reproducedgeneration has been accomplished using lateral stems with leaves.

The traits of the cultivar of the present invention that have beenobserved in each successive generation of asexual reproduction and whichare unique are the large purple bi-colored fully double flowers, flowersthat are positioned above or beyond the foliage, good heat tolerance,dark green foliage and mounded, freely branching and dense plant habit,and both male and female sterility.

Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural Society ClourChart, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significanceare used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and description of the plantsand flowers are based on the environmental and cultural practices atCoquille, Oreg. The following measurements, values and comparisonsdescribe plants grown under a double layer of polyethylene film withtemperatures typically ranging from about 55° F. to about 85° F. duringthe daytime. Night heat was provided by bench top set at 62° F. Theindividual plants were grown in six-inch Azalea containers in a soilessmedium. Plants were liquid fed with high nitrate plus trace elementsapplied at N level 150 PPM of two successive feedings followed by oneleaching with clear water. Plants started in the last week of June andfinished in late September. The light levels were between 4,000 and6,000 ft. candles.

The plant of the present invention has not been observed in all possibleenvironmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightlevel, humidity and also with cultural practices such as fertility, soiland water quality.

The accompanying photograph sheet illustrates the overall appearance andthe flower color of the cultivar of the present invention describedherein. The photograph was taken of a mature plant 14 weeks of ageduring full inflorescence. There may be variations between the colors inthe photograph and the colors in the following description due to lightreflectance, or the amount of blue or red light captured in the film. Ifsuch variations occur, the written description shall control.

Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination.As noted above, its seed parent was a semi-double with large purplebi-colored flowers; its pollen parent was a pollen-producing double withpurple bi-colored colored flowers.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Lateral tips of plants were the cuttings used for asexualreproduction.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 14 days at 72° F. soiltemperature.

Appearance and form of plant:

Plant form and habit.—Mounded with a medium vigorous, dense and bushygrowing habit. A free-branching habit.

Plant size.—Height is about 22 cm and width is about 40 cm.

Root description.—The rooting habit is characterized by numerous,fibrous and well-branched roots.

Branching habit.—Plants are self-branching. Stems are strong and freelyproduced. The number of stems depends upon cultural practices, age ofstems used as cuttings and the number of growth buds present on thecutting when stuck. The observed plant's average stem length is about 20cm. Each stem generally produces about three laterals.

Stems.—Diameter is about 0.7 cm. Internode length is about 2 cm. Coloris 146B with darker markings hard to determine, which appear close to183B to 183C. The observed plant's stem texture is smooth.

Foliage.—Leaves are simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, alternateand flat. Shape is ovate wth attenuate base, acuminate apex, and crenatemargin. Texture is smooth and satiny. The observed plant's leaf venationpattern is similar to other plants having similar leaf shapes, withsingle veins branching upwardly off from the central, longitudinal axisof each leaf, along the length of the axis, toward the margin of theleaf and forming an acute angle relative to the axis.

Foliage size.—Size of the largest leaves is about 7 cm in length, and4.5 cm in width.

Foliage color.—Adaxial color is darker than 147A, venation color 147A;abaxial color is 147B with darker blotches close to 177A, venation color148A.

Petioles.—Petiole shape is half round with a flat upper surfacemeasuring about 3 mm wide, about 2 mm in depth, and about 2.7 cm inlength. Color on the top is 148A with small hard to determine reddishstreaks which appear close to 183C. Bottom color is 148A with small hardto determine reddish streaks appearing close to 183C.

Flower size.—Diameter of about 4 cm, and depth of about 2 cm.

Flower texture.—The flower texture is smooth and satiny.

Flower count.—Flowers per branch usually number about 15 per branch fromvisible buds to open flowers at a time.

Flower fragrance.—No discernible fragrance.

Natural flowering season.—Year around under greenhouse conditions, andthe frost-free period from spring through fall outdoors.

Duration of flowering.—Continuously flowers throughout the bloomingseason.

Time to flower.—About six weeks from a rooted cutting.

Buds.—Ovate shape with length of about 1 cm, width of about 0.7 cm anddepth of about 0.9 cm. Color of top is 144A, and bottom color is 144C.

Petal size and shape.—Shape is obovate to exaggerated obovate, attenuateto cunate base, entire margin, obtuse to retuse apex. Usually two petalsfused at base comprise the largest petals, each being about 1.5 cm wideand 2 cm long.

Petal color.—Adaxial surface is variegated with, but darker than, closeto 74A and 76D; abaxial surface color is variegated with 74A and 76D.

Petal count.—Numerous, generally 25 or more.

Spur.—Shape is curved acicular tapering tube with length about 2.5 cm;sepal end width about 2 mm. Color is 144B with reddish apex.

Calyx.—The calyx consists of a single sepal. The sepal shape is ovatewith obtuse base and acute to cuminate apex, and entire margin. Lengthis about 1 cm and width is about 1 cm. Adaxial color is 142C with hardto determine purplish tinge appearing close to 66D; abaxial color is142D with purplish spot that appears close to 66D.

Peduncles.—Length is about 2 cm and diameter is about 2 mm. Color is146B to 146C with reddish stripes of a hard to determine color due totheir small size that appears close to 172B. Peduncles have a smoothtexture.

Pedicels.—Usually numbering 2 or 3, each having a length of about 2 cmand diameter of about 1 mm. Color is 146B to 146C with tiny hard todetermine reddish stripes that appear close to 178B. Pedicles have asmooth texture.

Reproductive organs.—The plants of the new cultivar are both male andfemale sterile. No reproductive organs have been found to exist.

Disease resistance.—The instant plant has shown good resistance tobotrytis.

Rooting ability.—Easy, no hormones are required.

Cold/heat resistance.—The instant plant produces more flowers in theheat than ‘Purple Star’. In the heat, the flowers of the instant planthave more light purple than the flowers of ‘Purple Star’.

